Folding crate.



H. E. C OLLEIS.,

FOLDING (IR/ITE.`

APPLICATION FILED AUGJZ. I9I4.

lyw; Patented 00p, 9,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fg, l

SNI/lineman QZ/gai y H. E. COLLEYS.

FOLDING CRAE. APPLICATION FILED Aue.22. lIsm.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@www

Wbb/wow@ @www H @M1061 HENRY E. comers,` or HAMMOND, ,INDIANA Y FOLDING CRATE.

Specification cf Letters Patent.

Application led August 22, 1914. Serial No. 858,024.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY E. CoLLEYs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved folding crate, which is also adapted to be used for shipping vegetables, and other commodities by freight, express or parcel post, the object of the invention being to provide an improved folding structure of this class which is extremely light, strong, cheap and simple2 which may be readily kept clean and which may be compactly folded so as to oc cupy but little space while being stored or when being returned empty to the shipper.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure l is a side elevation of a folding crate constructed in accordance with my invention showing the same set up ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. a is a perspective view of the same in partly folded position.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the same in extended position.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a bottom l which is here shown as of oblong rectangular form and which is preferably made of galvanized sheet iron. On the under side of the bottom are reinforcing strips 2 which are made of angle iron, two of .these strips being near the sides and the other under the center of the bottom.

Each of the sides 3 constitutes an oblong rectangular frame 4 which is made of wire or rod of suitable gage and the corners of which are rounded as at 5. Wire netting 6V is secured in each of the frames. Each end 7 of the crate is composed of a similar frame 8 and a wirey netting covering 9. The sides and ends are secured to the bottom by means of hinges 10-11 respectively, which hinges enable the @11de to be ,folded inwardly and flat on the bottom and enable the `sides to be folded flat on the ends,

Each end 7 is provided at opposite sides with a hook l2 the stem 13 of which is longitudinally movable in a casing 14, the casing being on a base plate 15 which is se@ cured to one of thev end members 7. Each hook 12 is provided witha coiled spring 16 which serves to normally draw the hook inwardly but enables'the hook to be drawn outwardly vand to be engaged with one end of one of the sides 6. Hence when the sides and ends of the crate are set up vertically they may be secured together by the spring retracted hooks 12 as will be understood, and by l'irst disengaging' said hooks the sides and ends may be folded inwardly on the bottom to compactly dispose the crate for return shipment or for storage.

The top 17l is similar in construction to the sides and ends, being formed of a frame 18 of wire or rod of suitable gage, a wire netting 19, and suitable reinforcing strips 20. The top also has a door 21 which is hingedly connected to the central strip 20 by means of rings 22 and which when in closed position may be secured by a bolt pin 23. The sides and ends of the crate are provided near their upper edges with spring hooks 24 which are identical in construction with the spring hooks 12 hereinbefore described and .which may be engaged with the sides and ends of the frame of the top to secure the latter in place when the crate is set up.

When the crate is in folded position the top is placed on the side and is secured by means of spring hooks 25 the casings of which are flexibly connected to the ends of the center reinforcing strip 2 of the bottom by means of rings 26 which pass through openings in said strip.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:.-

A device of the'character set forth embodying a foldable crate comprising a bottom, sides and ends hinged thereto, a series of spring hooks secured exteriorly to the respective side and end members of the crate, thehooks of the end members being arl rammed oct. 9, mit.

ranged along the opposite edges thereof, the

along the upper longitudinal edges thereof, tioned hooks serving to retain the crate in a reinforcing strip secured along the longicollapsed position. l0 tudnal center of the bottom and provided In testimony whereof l aix my signature with openings, a second series of spring `in presence of tWo Witnesses.

hooks, and rings passing through the open- HENRY E. COLLEYS. ings of the reinforcing strip for exibly Witnesses:

connecting the latter mentioned hooks to the PAUL B. LIPINSKI,

said reinforcing strip, the said last men- BoLEsLAW SALIR.

Copies of thisrpatent may he obtained for ve cents ealch, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

